Court remands 13 ex-NUPENG officials for attempted murder

A Federal Capital Territory High Court on Friday ordered the remand of  13 members of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers in Kuje Correctional Centre for the alleged attempted murder of the National President of NUPENG, Williams Akporeha, and two others.

Justice Yusuf Halilu gave the remand order after their arraignment on a five-count criminal charge.

Those arraigned are a former National Chairman of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch of NUPENG, Lucky Osesua, his Deputy,  Dayyabu Garga, Humble Obinna, Akinolu Olabisi, Godwin Nwaka, and Tiamiu Sikiru.

Others are Abdulmimin Shaibu, John Amajuoyi, Zaira Aregbo, Patrick Erhivwor, Stephen Ogheneruemu, Gift Ukponku and Sunday Ezeocha.

In the suit marked CR/042/2023, the Inspector General of Police is the complaint, while the listed officials are the defendants.

Some of the counts in the charge sheet read, “That you Lucky Osesua, Humble Obinna, Dayyabu Yusuf Garga, Akinolu Olabisi, Godwin, Tiamiu Sikiru, Abdulmumin Shaibu, John Amajuoyi, Zaira Aregbo, Patrick Erhivwor, Stephen Ogheneruemu, Gift Ukponku, and Sunday Ezeocha on November 1, 2023, within the jurisdiction of this
court, with intent to cause a breach of peace, laid siege at the Petroleum Tanker Drivers office at No. 50 Moses Majekodenmi Crescent, Utako District against one  Williams Akporeha,  Olawale Afolabi,  Solomon Kilanko and  Augustine Egbon and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 114 of the Penal Code Act, 2004.

Count three read,  “That you  Lucky Osesua, Humble Obinna, Dayyabu  Garga, Akinolu Olabisi, Godwin Nwaka, Tiamiu Sikiru, Abdulmumin Shaibu, John Amajuoyi, Zaira Aregbo, Patrick Erhivwor, Stephen Ogheneruemu, Gift Ukponku, and Sunday Ezeocha on November 1, 2023, within the jurisdiction of this court, did act in a manner likely to cause the death of one Wiliams Akporeha and  Augustine Egbon and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 229 of the Penal Code Act, 2004.

In count four, they were accused of voluntarily causing grievous bodily harm to  Williams Akporeha,  Olawale Afolabi,  Solomon Kilanko and  Augustine Egbon.

They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges, after which prosecution counsel, Frank Longe, applied for a date to begin their trial.

However, lead counsel for the defendants, Chris Oshomogie, SAN, orally applied for the bail of his clients, claiming that the offences they allegedly committed were bailable.

The court rejected the oral bail application and asked him to file a final application.

Halilu then ordered their remand, pending the determination of their request for bail.

He subsequently adjourned the matter till November 21 for trial.

As of the time of filing this report, the judge has endorsed their detention order in preparation for their movement to the Kuje Correctional Centre.